Normality
by heartsDOCTOR
Summary: AU a late night bar shift leads to some unwanted attention for Rose.... can the doctor help her? WARNING contains violent themes. R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimers** I don't own doctor who.

**Author **OddWeirdStrange

**Okay so I've never written anything with this level of violence before. Sorry if I offend anyone but please let me know if I do! My second fanfic first finished one. Read and Review. I was thinking about doing a second chapter or sequel to this, let me know what you think. Thanks ******

Rose was tired. She thought that having a normal life for a bit would be fun, easy, relaxing. Boy was she wrong! She'd only been working at the 'Randy's Bar' a week and already she was sick of it. Tonight she decided, after her shift was finished that's when she'd call the doctor.

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by a freakishly hairy bloke spilling his guts on the counter top. Sighing she grabbed an overused cloth and began to wipe away the chunky mess. Tonight she thought. Definitely tonight.

She was just clearing up the last of the mess when a heavily built man at the far end of the bar yelled "over 'ere love" sighing she plastered on a smile and headed over to the man noticing, as she walked that he was surrounded by three other men, one of which could have given the hairy man a run for his money. "What can I get you?" she asked.

"Ohh there's a lot I'd like to get from you missy" he replied with what appeared to be a pathetic attempt at a pick up line. Deciding to ignore the mans comment she instead turned to his friends

"Any drink I can get you?" she asked, making it clear that she was soo not in the mood for any funny business.

"Sorry about Ethan, he's had a bit too much if you get my drift. Just a rum 'nd coke will do me love." He replied. He would've seemed quite sincere if it wasn't for the fact that he addressed his request to her breasts rather than her face.

"Coming right up" she sighed. Hopefully these guys would leave soon. She was way too tired to deal with these kinda guys.

Thankfully the men more or lest ignored her for the rest of her shift, other than the occasional rude remark or lingering stare, but she could deal with that. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, her shift finished and she was free to go. Rose dragged herself into the staff bathroom and cringed at her reflection. Her hair was greasy with sweat and hung in limp strands across her face, her makeup was less than a ghost on her face and she looked almost as exhausted as she felt. Dragging her tired feet out of the bar she stumbled onto a park bench and reached for her cell phone to call a cab.

It was while she was sitting there waiting for her cab that she heard the loud obnoxious laughter of a group of clearly drunk men. The same men from the bar. They saw her too. It was only then, sitting alone on a park bench in the early hours of the morning that Rose realized the danger that she could potentially be in. forcing herself to remain calm she reminded herself that her cab would be here any minute, no, any second. "Hey you!" one of the men yelled out. She ignored him. "Oi! Lady! I'm talkin' to you! Now, now, no need to be rude! Why don't ya turn 'round so I can see your pwetty face!". Rose got up and walked away. She had barely gotten two steps away when she heard footsteps beating hard on the footpath behind her. Someone was running. And they were heading her way. Any calm rational thoughts jumped right out the window then and there.

Fear swept over her and beads of sweat appeared across her forehead. Why was she soo stupid! What kind of idiot decides to stop travelling through all of time and space so that they can spend some time working in a bar! A bar for goodness sake! She was scared now. Her panicked footsteps echoed across the abandoned street but she couldn't run fast enough. She was tired and they were gaining on her. Fast. Oh god where was the doctor! She needed him! But it was hopeless. She had personally sent him off to spend some time fixing the tardis while she spent some time being normal.

While rounding a corner into yet another abandoned street she chanced a glance behind her and wished she hadn't. They were right behind her now, just over an arms length away. Their crazed bloodshot eyes glaring hungrily at her like a lion glares at its prey. Mere seconds later and the chase was up. One huge rough arm grabbed angrily at her t-shirt, forcing her to the ground. "Go away!" she screamed at the man. But he didn't. He came closer whispering into her ear "now, now pretty lady, no need to be rude. Let's get a good look at you eh?" at his words the man at his side reached at her shirt and roughly began to tear it away.

Help me! Rose thought. She needed a miracle. "Help!" she screamed. She needed the doctor so she did all she could think of. She called for him "Doctor!"

"Ain't no doctor that can help you now missy" leered the man as he unbuttoned his jeans. "There's nobody here. Nobody to hear you scream."

"I think I'll be the judge of that." Said a voice that Rose knew all too well. A voice that had tamed the stars and scared the devil away. Behind the balding head of an aging man she could make out scruffy hair and pinstriped suite of a lonely angel. The doctor.

The doctor immediately sprang to action. Trying desperately to control his rage to stop himself from tearing these monsters apart. Stupid filthy apes! He thought. Armed with the sonic screwdriver he quickly had all the men knocked out. Then he turned his focus onto Rose. It tore him apart to see her like this. He opened his mouth to apologize to her, for taking so long, for letting this happen, for not being there but before he could utter a single word he was enveloped in a tight hug.

For once to doctor was speechless. There were simply no words. He pulled Rose into his arms and gently carried her into the tardis, then headed for the infirmary. "Oh Rose, I'm sorry, im soo sorry" he whispered to her shaking form.

"'s not your fault" she murmured. Her heartbeat finally beginning to slow now that she was in the safe arms of the Time Lord.

"I shouldn't of let you go out on your own like that." He replied "they didn't… you weren't… did they…" the doctor stuttered as words failed him.

"I'm fine" she confirmed "you saved me." Rose softly sang.

Not convinced that she was okay the doctor decided to scan her anyway to check for any injuries. The scan results showed that she had suffered no serious injuries but that she was physically exhausted. He quickly mixed her up a nutritious cocktail to ease her tired body. "What's this?" she asked as he handed her the cup eyeing it suspiciously. "Ohh just a scrummy mix of yummy vitamins and proteins and all that good stuff!" he replied with a manic grin. Smiling Rose took the cup and drank from it gratefully. "Thank you." She whispered as sleep pulled gently at her eyes. "My pleasure" was the doctors whispered reply as Rose drifted off into a peaceful sleep. Never again, the doctor vowed would he let something like this happen to his Rose. Never again.

**Review please?**


	2. Chapter 2

**So I wasn't so happy with the ending of that chapter so I've decided to add on another one. Enjoy! **

The Doctor was busying himself with repairs in the control room when he heard the first scream. Rose's scream. Pulling himself up from under the grating he wasted no time in speeding to her room. Pausing briefly outside her door the Doctor contemplated what could've happened. It was impossible for anything to have gotten into the Tardis with out the Doctor's knowing so he was curious as to what could've happened. His trail of thought was quickly pulled back to reality when he heard a small whimpering coming from the other side of the door.

"Rose?" he asked, knocking lightly on the door. He hated to invade her privacy (he knew from experience the human females were _very _protective of their privacy) when there was no reply he gently pushed the door open. "Rose? I'm coming in." he said as he stepped into the young woman's room.

For a moment the Doctor was confused. There was no apparent threat in the room and therefore no reason for Rose to be scared. No aliens, no dangerous objects, no spiders, nothing. Then he heard a whispered "No!" and turned to see the source of the problem. Rose was having a nightmare. By the looks of her, it was a pretty bad one too. Loose curls were plastered to her damp forehead and her eyes were tightly shut. Her breath was coming out in short, quick puffs. "Stop!" she cried before screaming again. It pained the Doctor to see Rose like this. Surely there was something he could do to help ease her restless sleep. The Doctor had vowed to protect Rose and that included protecting her from her dreams. But how? The Doctor knew that he could nudge her mind into a more peaceful sleep but that could only be a temporary solution. In order to stop her nightmare the Doctor would have to find the cause of it and help Rose to work through it. For now all he could do was to gently nudge her mind into a peaceful slumber. If he couldn't help her, then he'd just do this every night until the nightmare went away he thought.

A self-satisfied smile crept across the Doctor's face as he watched Rose's contorted features smooth over and she began to relax. However, he couldn't be truly happy until he could stop Rose's nightmares for good. For now, he just watched her sleep. He was more than willing to be her guardian angel.

Rose was oddly tired when she woke up the next morning. Stretching as she got up she noticed that her sheets were slightly moist. She was confused for a moment until the nights events came rushing at her. She'd had a nightmare, that, she could remember with crystal clear certainty. She remembered running in her dream as the men chased her, then screaming as they caught up with her. She remembered begging and pleading to no avail. She remembered the coming at her. And there eyes. She could clearly remember the hungry look in their eyes as they came at her. After that though, she couldn't remember anything. She knew that something had changed and that she had somehow managed to escape the nightmare. She could also faintly remember a feeling of peace washing over her but as to why and how, she had no idea.

Rose tried to shake the remains of her nightmare out of her head before grabbing her dressing gown and making her way to Tardis kitchen. "Mornin'" she said to the Doctor who was hungrily wolfing down some pancakes the Tardis had provided like it was the last meal he'd ever have. "Mornin' Rose!" he said, grinning at her with his trademark smile. "Sleep well?" he asked eyes lingering on her for just a moment too long. Rose contemplated telling him the truth but decided better of it. He had enough things to worry about without having to add on her minuscule problems. What, with having to face the destruction of some planet every second day. "Yeah, yeah fine." She lied.

"You sure?" he asked

"Course!" she replied. Sensing he wasn't convinced Rose gave him the best smile she could muster before grabbing one of his pancakes and cheekily taking a bite full.

"Hey! That's mine!" the Doctor whined staring hungrily at the pancake in question.

"Not anymore." Rose replied. "Anyway, you've got enough on your plate to feed a battlefield!"

"Well, you know, as a Time Lord it is essential that I eat enough nutrients to keep my body in top working order!" the Doctor defended himself

"So it's all just Time Lord Biology then, is it?" Rose asked. One eyebrow rose doubtfully at his poor explanation.

"That's right"

"And you're not just being a pig?"

"Course not."

"riiiight." Rose said with fake understanding

"Glad we agree. Then" the Doctor smiled before helping himself to another load of pancakes. Rose rolled her eyes. That man had no sense of sarcasm. She headed off to her room after finishing her pancake to ready herself for the day's adventures.

The Doctor eyed Rose with concern as she left the room. He had hoped that she would tell him about her nightmare so that he would be able to help her get through it. But she hadn't. Judging by the look of her the nightmare had affected her quite deeply. It was important that he get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. For Rose's sake and for his.

The Doctor and Rose burst into the Tardis door after a day full of running and excitement. Turning to each other they noticed their fear stricken faces before collapsing into a fit of laughter on the Tardis floor.

"I still can't believe you said that!" Rose managed to say while gasping for air after laughing so hard

"Me?" the Doctor defended him "we're lucky that we weren't executed after what you said!"

"Well how was I supposed to know that she was a _man?_!" Rose laughed "and anyway! Just cause I insulted the queen, sorry, _king_ of their species doesn't mean that you should start quoting 'the great lord simba!" Rose cried "from the bloody lion king!"

"I didn't think you were gonna start laughing like that!"

"Well when you broke into song-"

"It's a traditional way of apologizing on their planet!" the Doctor defended himself. "Anyway," the Doctor continued, eager to escape a conversation about his singing, "isn't it time you went to bed? It's been a long day."

"You just don't want me to start at you about that god awful singing. I mean 'Hakuna Matata'!?"

"Yep, definitely bed time!"

"fine." Rose pouted "but im not finished with you!" Rose warned before skipping off to her room for a well deserved rest.

The Doctor was in the library when Rose's screaming began. He quickly rushed to her aid to see if he could tame her nightmare. When he tried to nudge her mind into a peaceful sleep like he had done last time he found that her mind was blocking him out. Instinct. He thought to himself, but couldn't help but worry about her worsening condition. He felt even worse when Rose cried out "Help me!" I wish he could. He thought to himself. Before jumping to his feet with a sudden realization. "Of course!" he spoke his thoughts out loud. He had been an idiot. Just because he couldn't use his mind to release her from her nightmare, didn't mean he couldn't make her wake up.

Gently he shook her trembling shoulders and softly spoke her name. "Rose," he said, "you have to wake up now" however she didn't wake up and so the Doctor shook her again before gently but firmly telling her to wake up. After five minute of this Rose slowly began to wake up. As she awoke she couldn't stop the flow of tears that came from her eyes. She didn't even realize that someone else was there until she felt strong arms wrap around her and gently pick her up. "Doctor?" she asked.

"Shh, your okay now. Your safe." The Doctor comforted her, before gently placing her down on a comfy sofa bed. They sat there like that in silence for a while before the Doctor finally spoke. "Rose?"

"Mmm?" Rose replied

"What's wrong?"

"'S nothing'"

The Doctor sighed. "Rose, what's wrong? You can trust me, you know. I'd never hurt you."

"I know" Rose said quietly.

"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?" the Doctor asked

"It's silly" Rose said "'nd anyway, you've got enough to worry about without having to worry about my little problems. Was a bad dream that's all?"

"It was more than a bad dream Rose." The Doctor stated. Staring intently into her eyes.

"Listen," Rose said, starting to get angry with herself for allowing the Doctor to see her like this "I don't wanna talk about it alrigh'? I'm tired. I'm going to bed" with that she got up and left the room leaving the Doctor to stare sadly at the spot where Rose had just left.

Rose marched angrily into her room, locking the door behind her and collapsing into a fit of tears on her bed. How could she let him see her like this? She thought, trying desperately to control the sobs that were threatening to escape from her lips. I'll just have to be strong. I can handle a little nightmare! I've faced daleks and cybermen and all sorts! I'm not gonna let some bad dream stop me now! She allowed the silent tears to slide down her face as she slipped into an uneasy sleep

The Doctor had followed Rose to her room almost immediately after she left. It pained the Time Lord to hear the strangled sobs coming from inside Rose's room. He wanted so badly to help Rose through this but he knew that it would be stupid for him to try and talk to her now. He would have to wait till morning. Surely, shed be more willing to talk to him then he thought. Decision made the Doctor slid down the wall opposite his companions' door and prepared to wait for her until she needed him.

He didn't need to wait long. Barely half an hour after he's settled outside Rose's door he felt a change in his surroundings. He felt the desperation in the atmosphere and had already walked into Rose's room before her first scream. Kneeling beside her bedside the Doctor began to try and shake Rose awake "Rose?" he said. "Wake up Rose" he cried before briefly passing his hand over her temple to attempt to wake her up from the inside out.

"Stop!" Rose screamed, thrashing roughly from beneath his arms

"Rose! You're having a nightmare. You need to wake up now. Rose!" the Doctor yelled, feeling utterly helpless.

"Help me!" Rose yelled, tears leaking out from beneath her closed eyes.

"I'll help you, Rose, your just need to wake up!" the Doctor placed two hands gently on Rose's temple and again tried to wake her up, trying harder than he had ever tried before. For a moment he caught a glimpse of an angry face with hungry, bloodshot eyes before he was powerfully forced out of Rose's mind. Again, he tried helplessly to shake Rose awake and finally, Rose began to wake up.

"Rose!" the Doctor cried. Relief washing over him in powerful waves.

"Doctor!" Rose half sobbed. Trying desperately to control the hot flow of tears streaming from her eyes. The Doctor pulled Rose into a warm hug and gently rocked her in his arms "your safe now, your going to be okay, I promise" the Doctor comforted her.

When Rose finally managed to stop crying the Doctor rested his hands on her shoulders and told her, very seriously, "you have to tell me what's wrong Rose". All Rose could do was nod feebly. The Doctor stared deeply into her big brown eyes and asked "what happens in the nightmare?"

"Those men." Rose began "The ones from the pub. They chase me, but I can never run fast enough, no matter how hard I try, an' they always catch me. Every time! An' it feels so real Doctor! I just wan' it to stop"

The Doctor had nodded thoughtfully to what Rose had said and then spoke. "It's not going to be easy to get over this," the Doctor started while Rose nodded sadly "but im going to do everything I can to help you to get through this. First you need to know that you are perfectly safe here in the Tardis. Nothing bad can ever get you in here. Weeell unless you include my singing" the Doctor added with a wink causing Rose to reward him with a weak, but genuine smile. "Those men," here the Doctor had to pause for a moment to keep the anger out of his voice "will never, ever be able to hurt you again. After we left that place I gave torchwood a call and explained to them that those men were a danger to society. Jack was more than happy to take care of them for me…" the Doctor was quite for a moment before he turned his attention back to Rose. "if you are ever in danger, anytime, anyplace all you have to do is call me and I'll be there." the Doctor said with absolute seriousness before pulling Rose into a tight hug.

"Thank you." Rose breathed before the Doctor took her hand and lead her to bed.

They were almost at Rose's room when the Doctor stopped outside his own bedroom and gestured for her to go inside. "You want me to sleep in your room?" Rose asked, Cleary confused

"Of course!" the Doctor replied "you cant expect for me to let you sleep alone after this!" the Doctor explained himself, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. That said Rose entered the Doctors room and jumped into his bead. She was instantly comforted by his warm body beside hers and she final began to feel safe. To feel like maybe, just maybe she could get over this

The Doctor hadn't lied when he said it wouldn't be easy for Rose to get over her nightmares. She woke up screaming for the first week but was comforted by the Doctor at her side. After a month the nightmares had reduced to just once every two week and after two months they seemed to have completely disappeared. It was hard for Rose to overcome her nightmares but she knew that with the Doctors help it was possible. With the Doctors help anything was possible.

**That was longer than I thought it would be! Anyway thanks for reading :D **

**Also I would really like to get a beta thingy because I think that I really need some help with my endings. And grammar. And.. Stuff.**

**Any volunteers?**

**Yes? No? Please?**

**Please review. Honestly I appreciate them sooo much. Thanks**

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